Mobility Rides Again, Sidecar in Austin

Mobility Rides Again, Sidecar in Austin

Share

Once upon a time, planning a family dinner out required a contraption called a phonebook, navigational skills coordinating how to get there on physical map, and finally your own private means of transportation. Apple and Google made the first two components obsolete with today’s smartphones, mobility upstart SideCar is looking to take on the biggest bite left on the plate.

SideCar is a ride sharing technology that connects passengers looking for door to door transportation with available drivers in your community. Using the SideCar mobile app, you’re able to pinpoint your pickup and drop off location with be satisfaction of knowing that your connected driver is on the way.

At SXSW, SideCar, which recently expanded to Austin before competitors through an acquisition, is making a mobility marketing play by providing rides free of charge to patrons of major SXSW parties.

Self-driving cars won’t be mainstream for quite ad not yet legal in Texas for sxsw, won’t solve the societal and dwindling personal benefits of personal car ownership. Gas prices, congested roads, and ever more crowded cities designed around cars instead of people have pushed the expanding urbanized culture to revolt with their their dollars

Taxis are irate this technology exists. Operating under heavy local regulations which states a fixed metered price of transportation and a million dollar price tag limited medallion system, it’s easy to see why. The reality is that the current system hasn’t bothered to pick up the needs of customers or modernize. Insurance coverage, a driver’s license, and a trusted reputation are all things my parents also have, but that doesn’t mean the I’m any safer on the road compared to a facilitated ride share when I climb inside an automobile, sorry mom and dad!

Benjamin Roodman
Senior Contributing Editor
Benjamin Roodman is an advocate for getting to the truth of what converts in mobile. Well versed in mobile advertising platforms with a notable aptitude and passion for analytics, he's currently putting deals together as head of partnerships at a mobile data startup. Benjamin has previously held Business Development positions at AOL Advertising and helped establish several funded location-based consumer startups.
Follow me on twitter @BRoodman